Magic of the Soul
by GallowsTyphoon
Summary: Madoka AU. Maka Albarn has always wished to help people, but are wishes all they're cut out to be? Is it worth risking her and her friends' lives? Something strange is going on in this city, and she's determined to stop it.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Written for my wonderful moirail, uranianAquarium. She wanted a Soul Eater Madoka AU and I thought it would be fun to write. If you're here for one or the other, it might not be what you're expecting since I merged both of the plots together. I hope it turns out as awesome as Twin is excited for it.**

* * *

The witches had begun to become a problem. They were causing too much havoc in the city. Lord Death couldn't let it continue. Using his power, he created a solution, the incubator Kyubey.

"Within you is a power to solve the problem of the witches. I no longer have the power to save all the innocent souls that they have eaten. Go out and extend our power. Find those that have the potential to defeat the witches. I trust you will know what to do."

And so, Lord Death sent Kyubey out. Whether this would prove to be the solution that he'd hoped for or the fuel for the problem that he was trying to stop, he would not be able to say.

He could only hope that the ones that Kyubey shared his power with were strong enough to combat the witches.

* * *

The day had only just begun for Maka Albarn. It was like any other day. She got up bright and early, dressed and ate, and was out on the way to school before her dad was even awake. She liked school more than being at home. Her mother died while she was very young and her father wasn't a very good dad. She loved him still and he did what he could for her, but she wished that he wasn't such a hopeless flirt.

Maka was known for her kind soul. She was a sweet girl who would wave to everyone enthusiastically every morning on her way to school. She loved being able to brighten everyone's day and wish them a good morning. She was also known for being a Grade-A student. She was at the top of her class, had near perfect grades and was a friend to everyone. She was more than happy to help anyone with their homework, and not just by giving them the answers like everyone else, she would go the extra mile to make sure they understood their work. It was all important to her.

Once she reached the cross-section ahead, she would meet her friend Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. Tsubaki was a soft-spoken, quiet girl. She was also a smart student and had a good heart, but she was shy and reserved. She seemed to be a lonely soul. Maka spent months trying to warm up to her and befriend her. She was so happy when Tsubaki finally opened up to her. The two were the best of friends. They continued on their way to school as usual, chatting about nothing in particular.

Off to the side, two young men stood, watching.

"Do you think they're strong enough, Soul?"

The one called Soul followed Maka with his eyes. "They have kind hearts. It could be worth our time," he said.

"The only thing that matter is if they have strong wish."

"I guess we'll take it. Let's go, Black Star."

* * *

"And so, these two will also be joining our class," the teacher declared.

Tsubaki turned to Maka. "Isn't it a little strange that we've had so many transfers lately? It's not really the best season for a transfer."

"I'm sure they all have their reasons, Tsubaki." She waved to them when she caught the taller boy's eyes. "Besides, they look nice enough to me."

"You say that about everyone! How do we know they aren't part of something weird?" Tsubaki was the more worrisome of the two.

"Have a little faith, will ya?"

The two boys took the seats behind them. Tsubaki gave an almost inaudible whimper. She'd been hoping that they would choose somewhere else. She didn't do well around new people. Maka, however, turned to them and introduced herself.

"Oh, Maka..." Tsubaki said to herself.

"I'm Maka Albarn! How do you guys like the school so far?" She extended her hand to the boy directly behind her.

"Soul," he said and took her hand. "That's Black Star."

Maka giggled, "Cool names. Hey, if you need someone to show you around, Tsubaki and I would be glad to."

"Sounds awesome! Hope you don't mind us bothering you," Black Star practically shouted.

Maka was a little shocked at his volume, but Tsubaki was nearly trembling. She didn't do well around new people and especially around loud people. Maka was trying to get her to open up more; she was sure that if she could get over her timidness, she wouldn't feel as bad. She made sure that she didn't push her friend too much.

She smiled and said, "Of course not! I'll take you guys around during break."

Soul gave a lopsided, toothy smirk and said, "Cool."

The girls turned back to the front just as the teacher began the lesson. Maka said to Tsubaki, "See? They don't seem too bad to me!"

* * *

Maka happily drug her friend and the boys around the campus. She showed them everything that they would need.

Soul was hardly paying attention, but he didn't really care that much about school. He was there to do what Lord Death needed him to do. He wanted to be sure that Maka had the potential that he thought she did. He watched her as she talked on and on about the school. She was earnest in her actions and had a clear and kind aura about her. He knew that she would be powerful but only if her wish was strong enough.

Black Star had it a lot easier. His target was her friend, Tsubaki. She could easily have a strong enough wish. Her potential was not nearly as great as Maka's, but she would have the strength that Lord Death needed.

They were a little on edge. They knew that another Contractor was in the area and that his targets were students here as well. Soul was sure that he'd already formed a contract with them, but that only gave him more reason to worry. The girls might be swayed out of their favor. Soul wanted to keep them separate so that he could pull them into making a contract.

"So, where are you two moving from?" Maka asked, breaking Soul from his thoughts.

"Nowhere in particular. We've both moved around a lot."

"Oh... That's nice, I guess." She couldn't help but feel a little disheartened at the lack of information. Maka loved when people opened up to her fully and she liked knowing a lot about people. She wanted to help everybody when she could.

"Hey, don't worry about it." He gave her that crooked smirk again. "I like it here."

* * *

Maka was carrying some papers to the prep room for one of her teachers. She wasn't one of the volunteers for the job, but she was more than happy to take it. She was thinking about Soul. She wasn't sure what kind of person he was; he was too aloof. He casually left out information about himself and only asked about her. She was sure that he was nice enough, but she still wished that he would be more open.

She was thinking so intently that she wasn't aware of her surroundings and bumped into someone.

"I'm so sorry! That was entirely my fault, oh no..." She tried to scoop up the fallen papers.

"You should watch where you go or you'll get lost!" shouted the shorter of the two with a giggle.

The taller girl knelt and helped her with the papers. "You shouldn't be around those boys. They're bad news."

"What?" She nearly dropped the papers again.

"I mean it. Just don't bother with them. If you're lucky, you won't have to know why." She stood again. "Let's go, Patty."

They left Maka sitting there with a disheveled bunch of papers in her arms. She couldn't help but wonder what they meant. She was sure that the boys were good people, if a bit secretive. She hurried on to do what she was sent out for. She would ignore those girls. They were strange and the taller girl was staring at her like she was pure evil. It made her uneasy.

She continued on a little more hurried than before. She rounded the corner that would take her to the prep room only to bump into someone again.

"Again, really?" She rushed to grab the papers and apologized quickly. The other person helped her with the papers as well. She stopped when they both reached for the same sheet. She looked up to met a crooked grin and a mess of spiky, white hair. "Soul..."

"You look like you've seen a ghost," he said.

"I-it's nothing, really." She straightened the papers and tried to act calm.

"The Thompson sisters say something to you?" Soul asked with a serious look. She couldn't tell if it was concern, though she hoped it was. She gave a tentative nod. "Don't worry about them."

"They warned me not to get near you."

"Figured you'd rather make a judge of people yourself." She met his eyes. "Do you think I'm dangerous?"

She hesitated and tried to scan his eyes. Was he? She honestly wasn't sure. She'd give him a chance. That's what her mom would do after all. She finally said, "I don't think you are."

He waved and continued on his way. Maka went on hers as well.

* * *

Maka and Tsubaki were on their way back home. They'd been out in town after school and it was getting late. The sky had been painted in colors of sherbet and the clouds looked like tufts of cotton candy. Maka smiled. She loved the evening sky.

"So, what do you think of those boys?" Tsubaki asked.

"I like them well enough. They are pretty nice."

"That Black Star is very loud. He always wanted to be the center of attention..."

"Ah, that must have been hard for you." Maka put her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"What about Soul? I think he's interested in you."

"What? No way! He couldn't possibly be." Tsubaki gave her a look. "Oh, come on! We've only just met."

"It's the way he looks at you. Like he's sizing you up for some reason." She hesitated. "Do you think they might be suspicious? I don't know... Something's odd about them."

"Give them a chance! I'm sure you'll grow to like them."

"Maybe..."

Maka waved to Tsubaki as they parted ways at the cross-section as usual. Maka slowed her pace so that she could enjoy the sight and feelings of the evening. She had stopped to pet a stray cat when she heard Tsubaki's scream. She rushed back to the cross-section and ran down the street that led to Tsubaki's house. The girls met halfway down the street.

"Maka! Something's wrong, everything is so strange... I don't know what's happening!"

"Calm down, it's okay. What's-"

She stopped speaking. It was almost as if her voice had been taken from her. She couldn't speak, she couldn't think. Several yards in front of them, just past Tsubaki's house, the surroundings suddenly changed. It was as if some fantasy land began to mix with the normal scenery to create a warped version of reality. Even the air was different. It was charged with a terrifying electricity and a cold feeling of sadness. It made Maka's stomach churn. She was scared too. She resolved to get herself and Tsubaki as far from there as possible, maybe go back to her own home.

The ground began to rumble. An earthquake, she thought. Tsubaki held on to her tight and she held onto Tsubaki with an equal grip. The rumbling increased and the air seemed to crackle around them. Neither could move. They were too scared and confused. They were just students, school girls, and it was too strange.

With a suddenness like rushing water, a terrifying _something_ came at them. It didn't even look real. It looked almost as if someone had made a storybook come to life. That is, if story books looked so horrifying. It's movements were jerky and twitchy, inhuman, and it screamed as though it were angry with a voice that might have been human once. Could this thing have been a person? No, Maka couldn't dare to think it. It was too impossible. The creature, whatever it was, was coming closer. Maka pulled Tsubaki to the side just in time to narrowly miss a collision with it. It had reared up and slammed down right where they were standing. It was coming after them, she was sure of it now.

"Tsubaki, we have to get out of here _now_!" She tugged her sleeve urgently.

A gunshot came out of nowhere and hit the creature on its shoulder, if it was a shoulder, just as it stood tall again, preparing to attack the girls.

Standing on the cement wall above them was a boy about their age in a nice suit.

He called out, "Now, girls, take this thing out properly before it causes too much damage. This section was so beautifully symmetrical, I'd be upset if it were ruined."

He wasn't the one who'd sent the shot at it. It was all so confusing. Tsubaki had her face hidden against Maka's chest but Maka looked up at the boy. He was well dressed in what looked to be a customized suit. His being there seemed to stand out even in the odd situation.

"We're doing our best. I don't see you out here fighting this thing!" called a familiar voice. Maka's head swung around in time to see the elder of the Thompson sisters fire a bullet at the creature. The thing raised up and seized in pain, belching a screech that made Maka's skin crawl. Tsubaki gave a quiet scream that was almost inaudible under the cries of the monster. The elder sister dropped her pistol just as the thing rounded on her. She turned and cupped her hands in time to catch her younger sister's foot, launching her up in the air. The younger sister flipped midair and fired a final shot. The bullet struck the mask on the monster's back, shattering it.

That was it. The monster and the bizarre scenery around them dissolved. Everything returned to the pristine evening setting of the cross-section in front of Tsubaki's house. It was as if nothing had happened. Tsubaki was still frozen, Maka still held her.

The elder sister looked up to see the boy leaving. "Damn it, Kid, don't you leave yet! I'm not through with you!" she yelled.

"Aaand he's gone..." her sister practically sang.

"Shit..."

Maka released Tsubaki when she was sure she could stand on her own. She ran a few steps over to the Thompson sisters. "E-excuse me," she called.

"What?" came the harsh reply of the elder.

"Um... Wha-what was that... thing?" Maka asked tentatively.

"It was a witch, and if you're lucky, you'll never have to see one again." She and her sister turned to leave.

"Wait!"

"Yes?" she asked impatiently.

"Who exactly are you?"

The elder turned back to look at her. Interest hidden in her eyes. "Liz Thompson, and my sister Patty," she gestured to her sister.

Maka pointed behind her where the witch had been, "And you-"

"We hunt witches. We're magical girls."

"It's our job!" shouted Patty happily. It seemed like she was always happy no matter the situation.

They turned to leave again. Maka thought to stop them, but they were gone before she had realized it. The new information was swirling in her head. Things didn't seem to be as she had always thought.

On her way back, she resolved to find some answers the next day.

* * *

Maka hurried to school that day, brow furrowed. Liz had warned her not to go near Soul and Black Star and then had shown up at the same time as a crazy monster witch in a weird outfit and took it out with her sister apparently on the orders of some wierd kid in a suit. One of them was bound to have some information and she wanted it. She wasn't even sure what answers she wanted, but she was going to get them. Tsubaki was confused when Maka passed her by at the cross-section, hollering a rushed apology. Maka was too intent on finding these answers. She thought to herself that she would make it up to her friend later.

She nearly skidded to a halt in front of the class room. Everyone would be chatting before the teacher arrived as the first bell hadn't even rung. She almost hoped that Soul wouldn't be there so she could be the whole mess behind her. She hoped that he and the loud mouthed Black Star wouldn't show up and that her life would return to nice, boring normal.

As she made her way to her desk, her hopes were dashed down. He was there sitting on the desktop with his feet in the seat, talking to his buddy. He stopped and turned to look at her.

She ignored the smile her gave her and kept her expression serious and resolute. She declared, "I want to talk to you."

"Alright." He turned his body so that he could face her square on.

She eyed the other students in the room. She didn't want to be overheard for fear of the reaction she might get. What she had to talk about would probably make her sound insane. "Somewhere more private, if you don't mind."

Soul and Black Star exchanged a smirk. It made her a little angry. It made her feel like they knew she was going to ask something stupid and they weren't going to take her seriously. Black Star stayed behind while Soul went with her. She took him to the rooftop garden. No one would be there this early in the day, and should someone be there anyway, she would just run them off.

"So what d'you wanna talk about?"

"I want you to tell me about witches."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm making some art to go along with this fic. The idea was just too awesome to pass up. And I also wanted to show you guys what the girls look like after transforming but wanted to leave out super long descriptive paragraphs because those make writing look kind if bad. Hope you it as much as uranianAquarium and I. Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**Also as a forewarning, since Crona appears in this chapter, I feel the need to say this. I write Crona with male pronouns since in the English adaptions, he's more often referred to with male pronouns. That's just personal preference. Crona's sex remains ambiguous, never explicitly stated. I don't mind either way, I'm just going with what I'm used to hearing.**

* * *

"You want me to tell you about witches?"

Maka nodded. Soul only grinned in response.

"I thought you'd never ask." He turned his back to her. Her eyes never left him. "They're born from grief and pain, created by curses. They were normal souls at one point, but pain changes you. And so they become something evil. They go out destroying things, hurting people. Some of them even eat innocent souls."

Maka visibly flinched. Soul turned back to her.

"I take it you've seen one?"

She nodded and said, "The Thompson sisters took it out. How could they be able to do something like that? I mean, they're just normal girls, like me or-"

"Not quite. See, they have something that you don't. Something that you could have."

"And if I got it too, whatever it is, I could fight witches?"

"You got it."

"So what is it, exactly?"

He laughed under his breath, "Magic."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"A contract, a wish, and magic."

"So what, we team up, make a wish, and I wave a wand to make the witches go away?" She waved her hand like a wand to punctuate her disbelief.

"Something like that." Soul found her eyes and held her gaze. She couldn't believe it, but she saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"You're serious." Maka stated it; she didn't ask.

"As a heart attack." He turned back to her so that he could face her fully. "Do you want to fight them?"

"They came after us. I could've died. _Tsubaki_ could've died. How can I just stand by idle while there are things out there like that?"

"It's dangerous," he countered.

"I don't care," she declared.

"You could lose everything."

"I don't care! If I can protect the people I care about or people who I've never met, even for just a little while, then it's worth it isn't it?"

He laughed aloud. "With the right wish, you'd be able to save everyone."

She stopped. "So the wish I make will affect the kind of power that I can use?"

"A strong wish creates strong magic. The true power of a magical girl comes from her own heart, and you've got enough potential to solve all of our problems."

"Our?" She scanned his expression for clues. "Does that mean you're working for someone? Is this part of some stupid plan?! You get young girls involved in your crazy schemes, get them to fight your enemies by giving them a wish?! You're crazy!" She took a step back from him.

"The girls we make contracts with are the only ones who can take out the witches. We need their help or the witches will only get worse and worse." He took a step closer to her. "There's something going on out there. Something that we can't fight without your help. We can't force you."

He walked past her and headed for the stairwell. She turned and watched him, unsure of where to go from there.

"Think about it. We need a strong girl like you."

* * *

Medusa was angry. Furious. Her plan had been thwarted by those awful girls. If she had managed to take the soul of at least one of those girls, no one would be able to stop her. One of them had the power to lure in the other, and the one she wanted had enough power to make her unstoppable. If she could stop her and take her soul, adding the girl's power to her own, before she became a magical girl, she would be able to take down Lord Death himself.

It was no matter to her. She would get what she was aiming for one way or another. She had a plan just for that. With this, she wouldn't need to worry about the magical girls. She laughed to herself. If Lord Death presented her with a new challenge, she would take it and overcome. If he can create an ace, so could she.

She wondered how his precious little girls would face him. She created him to be indestructible. Impervious to their little powers.

He was nearly ready.

She opened the large metal door. The resulting creak echoed throughout the room. It was empty and had no windows, dark and damp. It stank of metal and death. Medusa smiled her snake-like smile.

"Crona," she sang.

The child stepped forward, an absent grin on his face. "I did what you said."

"And did you feel?"

"Its blood is red, so pretty."

"And you like killing, don't you?" She glided around him, putting her hands on his shoulders.

He looked up at her, smile stretching his face, eyes wide. He said, in perfect monotone, "My blood is black."

* * *

Maka spent most of the day in deep thought. She knew there was more to the whole situation. There were things that Soul hadn't told her, that he probably wouldn't tell her.

She wanted to help fight the witches, but she was a little afraid. She had no idea how to fight, she wasn't even very strong. And what about her wish? If she had any hope of taking down the witches, she'd have to make a strong wish. She had no idea what would make a strong wish.

All she wanted to do was help people. She wanted to be like her mother, strong and kind, someone who could be there for the ones she loved.

She wasn't sure if it was the right way to go. There had to be a catch, something that would eventually make the deal go sour. Wishes were never to be given lightly and the one who made the wish usually had to give something big in return for it.

She wanted to go back in time, back to when it was just her and Tsubaki. She suddenly felt worry for her friend. She had ran past her that morning and given her no explanation when she'd never gone a single school day without walking with Tsubaki.

Maka decided to go look for her, and she found her.

"Hey, Tsubaki. Why don't have lunch out on the lawn? It's such a nice day, after all."

"Oh, Maka..." She looked off to the side, looking a little hurt. "I promised I'd eat with Black Star."

"Oh... I hadn't thought of that. Sorry..."

Tsubaki looked down at her tray of food. "Um... I could ask him, I'm sure he won't mind."

"No, that's okay. I don't want to intrude."

"Well, I guess... If you're sure-"

"Hey, girls. Why don't we all eat together?" Soul suggested.

Maka jumped. He'd come out of nowhere. They agreed, however, and the four of them sat together on the lawn of the school.

"So, Maka... Why were you in such a rush this morning? It was so unlike you." Tsubaki asked. Maka knew she probably would eventually, and now seemed like the perfect moment. The boys were absorbed in their own loud discussion and neither of them were paying attention to the girls.

Maka sighed. "I had to get to school as quickly as I could. I wanted answers."

"Answers? What do you mean?"

She dropped her voice, "I needed to talk to Soul. Weird things are going on and I don't know who all is involved, but it turns out that he is."

"What did you talk about? Sounds serious..."

"About yesterday and what really happened." They shared a serious look. They'd known each other long enough, well enough, to convey a message through only their gaze. Maka wanted her to know how serious the situation was, but she was afraid of what might happen if Tsubaki knew everything or was given the same proposition.

Tsubaki glanced over to the boys, suspicion and question in her eyes. She wanted to know, needed to know, if those two were involved. She was afraid that they might have something to do with that attack. Her hands tightened in her lap.

Maka nodded solemnly and turned to her food. They ate in tense silence until the bell rang to return to class.

They boys watched them silently. Both knew that words would only hurt the situation. They needed the girls. They needed their help, their power; they needed them to make their wish and fight.

* * *

"How are we supposed to gain their favor?" Black Star asked. "They aren't stupid. It's like they're going to fall for the wish bit."

"Especially Maka. She's too smart, too strong. I doubt that she'd consider it unless it was her only option," Soul pondered aloud.

Black Star looked at him, unbelieving. "You're not saying...?"

"You should've seen the way she talked. She was less afraid for her own life than her friend's. She wasn't angry that she herself had been attacked, she was upset that the witch had gone for _her friend_." Soul looked him dead in the eye, completely serious.

Black Star's expression hardened. "So, the only way to get to her is through her friend? That means that I have to make a contract with Tsubaki and put her in danger before we can snag Maka?" His tone was almost accusatory.

"Look, man, I don't like it either. We need Maka. She's the only one who has the potential to make a wish strong enough to combat the coming of Walpurgisnacht."

"I still don't like it."

"Well, then you'd better hope that we take down Medusa before she turns into the end of the world."

* * *

Maka was out shopping. She wanted to get something nice. Maybe a nice shirt or a good book, it didn't really matter. She thought that maybe getting at least one new thing would make her feel a little better about recent happenings. She walked slowly along the crowded street. The shopping center was abnormally busy that weekend. She found a store that looked interesting and decided to proceed. She wasn't sure what she was looking for so she wandered, scanning the shelves until she found something that felt right.

She was examining a pretty ceramic mug when a voice called out to her, "Hey, it's you!" It was Patty Thompson.

"Fancy running into you here," Liz gave her a small smile, crossing her arms.

"Oh, it's you two..."

Maka ended up sitting across from them at a café. Liz had insisted on going out for a drink together, Maka wasn't sure why but she accepted anyways.

"Those two still hanging around you and your friend?"

Maka nodded.

"They'll persist," Liz added. "They've set their sights on you two." She sighed. "I thought that it was wonderful at first, you know?"

"What?" Maka wasn't sure what she was talking about.

She answered with a sad and nostalgic look and said, "Having our wish granted. We lived on the streets for a while. Patty and I were abandoned as babies, and I dunno about anyone else but our experiences in the system weren't all that great."

"We ran away when we were still little!" Patty exclaimed in her usual way. Her smile never broke, it amazed Maka.

"We lived on the streets with only each other. And I guess that's all we needed." She looked over to her sister fondly. "But eventually it got harder and harder to survive. We started stealing food and getting ourselves into a lot of trouble."

"But then Kid came along and we lived better."

"That was our wish. To have a better life together. We made our wish together too."

"And that's why you fight together?" Maka asked.

"You got it!" shouted Patty. "I wouldn't dream of fighting without Liz!"

Liz looked at Maka with a serious, pleading gaze. "Please, don't make a wish. Don't go through with the contract. It isn't worth what you'll have to go through."

Maka almost felt offended. "Why? Even if I'm risking myself, I'll be helping others, right?"

"It's not that simple! There are things that they don't want you to know. They want you to make a wish so it'll be too late to back out when you find out," Liz argued.

"Then tell me what it is, since you know it too," she felt bad for getting so defensive and accusatory with her. She was getting fed up with all of this withholding information crap; she just wanted to know where she stood so that she could decide how to act.

Liz sighed and for the first time, Patty's smile broke and an expression of worry crossed her features.

"It might be easier to explain if you see it for yourself."

* * *

Maka had agreed to accompany the Thompson sisters on a witch hunt. Liz was explaining the basics of what it meant to be a magical girl, but so far she had only covered what Maka already knew from Soul.

"He didn't tell you what the contract actually does, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She waved her wrist, and in her hand appeared a very pretty yellow gem cased partially in gold. Patty did the same and showed an identical one.

"When you make your wish, the contract is sealed. It creates this, a soul gem. The power in your soul gem depends on your wish. Sometimes, if a magical girl creates one strong enough, they gain special powers. Otherwise, our powers only go as far as calling forth an infinite number of the weapon we have control of. For us, that would be our guns."

"The soul gems are really special," Patty smiled wider as if her words were hiding a secret, but she let her sister elaborate.

"Naturally, since we're fighting witches, things can get pretty nasty. Our bodies often take quite the beating. How could a magical girl fight if we felt pain like normal people, right?" She pointed to the soul gem in her palm. "Once we make a contract, our souls are placed inside these gems. It allows us to keep on fighting."

"So what, that means you can't die while you're fighting? Isn't that good?"

"That's not at all what it means. It just means we can endure more damage than the average person, but even so, we still have a limit. If our bodies take too much at once, we can die," Liz explained with frost in her words.

"But we heal super quick from our wounds! So we can get beat up and be fine in a few minutes," Patty giggled. Her happiness was completely out-of-place, but that was who she was. Maka was becoming fond of her.

"We have to protect our soul gems. They are more precious to our lives than anything else." She put her hand to her chest. "But while we fight, we're surrounded by grief. It hurts us while we're using magic. That grief gets absorbed by our soul gems, and if we don't purify them..."

"W-what happens then?"

Maka's question remained suspended in the air, unanswered. The witch's barrier had begun o close around them, distorting reality into a twisted nightmare of itself.

Liz and Patty jumped into action, leaping up onto a higher ledge. A flash of yellow-white light surrounded them and dissipated just as their feet touched down. Their outfits had changed into the ones Maka had seen them in when the first witch attacked. Their magical girl forms were as stunning and intimidating as they were cute. They perfectly mirrored each other in every way, stance, weapon, and outfit. It was obvious that they were a team and that nothing would separate them.

"It must be newly hatched," Liz observed. "It's movements are slow and the barrier is shakey."

"Let's take it out, Sis!" shouted Patty gleefully. Maka could almost swear that she enjoyed fighting.

Maka followed the stairs that they had passed. They led all through the twisted area, up to ledges where she could watch them in action from a safe distance. She was a little excited to see them fight this time. The first time she was terrified and felt like she missed a lot. This time, she wasn't worried about the witch coming after her.

The witch was in the middle of the room, surrounded by what looked like a small child's toys. It moved as though it were dancing, as if to show its possession of the toys at its feet. When it spotted the sisters, it got angry. Its small form contorted, going from an almost cute something to a very large, sharp toothed thing. The creature now looked dark and tumultuous. It showed them a toothy, taunting grin that told them how delicious they looked. The thing rumbled a growl at them as the sisters separated. It looked back and forth from one to the other, unsure of which to follow and rend to pieces.

The girls did a perfectly mirrored twirl, calling up several pistols. There were nearly thirty guns on each side of the witch, all suspended in the air. Maka stood baffled and awed at the magic they could perform. The witch wasn't happy at all at their maneuver. It stood taller, almost stretching itself so far back that its head nearly touched the ground. Spikes began to bubble up on its scaly skin, growing and growing until they launched in all directions. Maka kneeled down so that the wire frame of the landing she stood on shielded her. The sisters both jumped in a wide arc above the witch, linking hands and using the momentum of their jumps to send them into a twirl. They maneuvered midair so that they were back to back, outstretched their arms, pistols in hand, and fired at the creature as it rose up to meet them. They fired in unison. Patty fired for its head while Liz shot for the luminous orb held in one of its grotesque hands.

The orb shattered, dissolving the witch as the shards fell. The girls fell into a swirl of sparkling scales that danced on the wind that blew the barrier away. They both landed gracefully at their feet.

Maka ran down the steps to them. Patty stooped to the ground and picked up a small, dark pod. It was like an elegant wire fame, hollow in the middle.

"I got the last one, so this one's yours, Sis!"

"Thanks, Patty." Liz took it and showed it to Maka. "It's a Grief Seed." She held her soul gem in her other hand; it was now blackened, as if it had been tainted. "We only have a limited amount of magic, and the more we use, the more the grief affects us. If we don't use the grief seeds dropped by the witches we defeat..." She put the two closer together. The darkness in her soul gem seemed to melt out of it, being absorbed by the grief seed. "They're also very dangerous. If they absorb too much of the grief from our soul gems, it can revive the witch that dropped the seed."

"What happens if you don't drain the grief out?"

"We eventually become witches. It's unavoidable," answered Liz gravely.

Patty added, "That's the fate of magical girls. It's the cost of our wishes."


End file.
